Causative verbs

Causative verbs are verbs that cause people to do things. In English, these are verbs like "make," "have" and "get," as in "get Billy to eat dinner." The "get" is the causative verb.

The most common causative verbs in Chinese are:

• 让 (ràng)
• 叫 (jiào)
• 使 (shǐ)
• 请 (qǐng)

Make sure to take note of the different meanings and levels of formality. For example, 使 (shǐ) and 让 (ràng) when used as causative verbs basically mean the same thing (to make) but 使 (shǐ) is used in more formal or written Chinese while 让 (ràng) is used more in spoken Chinese.

Structure

Subj. + Causative Verb + Person + Verb-Obj.

Examples

• 老师 让 我们 去图书馆 借书 。Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen qù túshū guǎn jiè shū.The teacher let us to go to the library and borrow books.
• 这 部 电影 很 让 人 很 感动 。Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn ràng rén hěn gǎndòng.This movie really moves people.
• 她 退学 使 她 父母 非常 失望 。Tā tuìxué shǐ tā fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.Dropping out of school really disappointed her parents.
• 这个 调查 结果 使 很 多 官员 被 撤职 了 。Zhège diàochá jiéguǒ shǐ hěn duō guānyuán bèi chèzhí le.The research result made many officials lose their job.
• 就 这么 点儿 工资！ 你 叫 我 怎么 活 ？Jiù zhème diǎn er gōngzī! Nǐ jiào wǒ zěnme huó?Only this little salary! How do you expect me to live?
• 你 叫 我到哪儿去给你弄这么多钱 ？Nǐ jiào wǒ dào nǎr qù gěi nǐ nòng zhème duō qián?Where do you expect me to go get you such a large sum of money?
• 我 请 他 过来 帮 我 修 电脑。Wǒ qǐng tā guòlái bāng wǒ xiū diànnǎo.I asked him to come and help me fix the computer.
• 为 了 去 舞会，她 请 了 一位 化妆师 来 帮 她 化妆。Wèi le qù wǔhuì, tā qǐng le yī wèi huàzhuāng shī lái bāng tā huàzhuāng. In preparation for the ball, she invited a makeup artist to help her put on makeup.

See also

• Passive voice

Sources and further reading

Videos

• Yoyo Chinese: The word "rang"

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 170-2) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 120-1) →buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 19) →buy